It is known to produce metallic layers on a material to be printed using a foil transfer method. For example, a printing material and a printing device using a foil material are described in EP 0 569 520 B1. In that reference, a sheet-processing machine is disclosed which has a feeder and a delivery system. Printing units and a coating module are arranged between the feeder and delivery system. In at least one of the printing units, an adhesive pattern is applied using a flat bed or lithographic printing method. The adhesive pattern is applied using a cold printing method and has a certain image-forming design. In the coating module following the printing unit, a foil guide is provided that includes an impression cylinder and a press cylinder. The foil guide is designed such that a foil strip or transfer foil is guided from a foil storage roll through a transfer gap in the coating module between the impression cylinder and the press cylinder. The foil strip is rewound on the delivery side after leaving the coating module. The transfer foil includes a carrier layer, on which image-forming layers, such as metallic layers (for example, made from aluminum) can be applied. A separating layer is provided between the metallic layer and the carrier layer. The separating layer ensures that the metallic layer can be removed from the carrier layer.
As each printing sheet is conveyed through the printing unit, it is provided with an adhesive pattern. The printing sheets are then guided through the coating module in which the printing sheet on the impression cylinder is brought into contact with the foil material via the press cylinder. During this process, the metallic layer on the bottom of the foil material is tightly bonded to the areas on the printing sheet provided with the adhesive. After additional transport of the printing sheet, the metallic layer adheres only in the area of the adhesive pattern. Thus, the metallic layer is removed from the carrier layer in the area of the adhesive pattern. The consumed transfer foil is then rewound. The printing sheet is delivered in the coated state.
Utilizing such coating modules, for example, in printing units of printing presses, is known. However, a disadvantage of these modules is that they cannot be flexibly utilized.